Overfill protection device with a gauge for indicating the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank

ABSTRACT

An overfill protection device which includes a first tubular member, a cylindrical piston slidably fitted within the first tubular member, a spring arranged within the first tubular member, a first and second O-rings fitted in the first and second neck portions of the piston, a second tubular member having a cylindrical recess open at a top, a plug arranged within the second tubular member, a float rod having a cam plate at an upper end, a float connected with a lower end of the float rod, a valve body having a lower end extending upwardly into said valve body and provided with a first magnet and a lower end inserted in said cam plate, a gauge mounted on said valve body, and a second magnet arranged within said gauge and operatively engaged with said needle.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,709, owned by the same applicant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Technical Field of the Invention

This invention is related to an overfill protection device, and in particular to one which can indicate the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Combustible liquefied gas is convenient for us to carry out combustion operation, and especially as liquefied gas burns completely. The burning is very clean, and unlike coal, no black smoke will be produced. Hence, liquefied gas is widely used for heating, and cooking. Further, liquefied gas is also used for welding and manufacturing. However, no matter what kind of liquefied gas is used, they must all be filled in a gas tank in order to facilitate their transportation. When in use, the outlet of the gas tank is connected to the burner, so that when the gas tank is turned open, the liquefied gas tank will flow to the burner for burning.

Generally, the conventional gas tank is provided with a simple valve. When the liquefied gas is decreased to a level such that it is insufficient for cooking a meal, the user cannot perceive this, so that it often happens that cooking will be interrupted as a result. Thus, the user has to purchase a new gas tank in order to continue cooking, which is inconvenient, particularly for people located far from the gas stations or the like. However, it is also dangerous to have multiple gas tanks in the home.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an overfill protection device with a gauge for indicating the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank which can obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to an improvement in the structure of an overfill protection device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an overfill protection device which includes a first tubular member having an upper portion formed with a first axial hole, an intermediate portion having a second axial through hole with a larger diameter than the first axial through hole and at least two radial through holes, a lower portion having a third axial through hole with a larger diameter than the second axial through hole, and an annular groove formed between the second and third axial through holes, a cylindrical piston slidably fitted within the first tubular member and having an upper portion, dimensioned to fit into the first axial through hole, an intermediate portion having a larger diameter than the upper portion of the cylindrical piston and dimensioned to fit into the second axial through, a lower portion having a larger diameter than the intermediate portion of the cylindrical piston and dimensioned to fit into the third axial through hole, a first neck portion, a second neck portion on the lower portion of the cylindrical piston, and a circular recess at a bottom of the lower portion of the cylindrical piston, the upper piston of the piston being formed with a through hole, the first neck portion having an axial through hole having same diameter as a lower end of the through hole of the upper portion of the piston, an axial through hole being formed in the intermediate and lower portions of the piston and having an upper and lower ends communicated with the axial through hole of the first neck portion and the circular recess, a spring arranged within the third axial through hole of the lower portion of the first tubular member and fitted over the intermediate portion of the piston, the spring having an upper and lower code respectively bearing against the annular groove and the lower portion of the first tubular member, a first and second O-rings fitted in the first and second neck portions of the piston respectively, a second tubular member having an upper portion having a cylindrical recess open at a top and joined with the lower end of the first tubular member by ultrasonic welding, an intermediate portion having an axial through hole with a smaller diameter than the third axial through hole of the first tubular member, and a lower portion having an axial through hole with a smaller diameter than the axial through hole of the intermediate portion, the lower end of the second tubular member being divided by a diametrical slot, a plug having an upper portion formed with a neck portion fitted with a O-ring and a lower portion having a smaller diameter than the axial through hole of the second tubular member and formed with a conical lower end, the plug being arranged within the second tubular member and located under the piston, a float rod having a cam plate at an upper end there of the cam plate being fitted into the slot of the second tubular member and pivotally connected thereto by a spindle extending through the second tubular member and the cam plate, the cam plate being contoured to form a lobe, a convex edge and a concave edge, a float fixedly connected with a lower end of the float rod, a valve body having a lower end engaged with an upper portion of the first tubular member, a control rod having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end extending upwardly into the valve body, the lower end being inserted in the cam plate, a first magnet mounted at the upper end of the control rod, and a gauge mounted on the valve body and provided with a second permanent magnet and a needle operatively connected with the second magnet, whereby when the float is moved, the control rod will be moved in unison with the float, so that the first magnet mounted at the upper end of the control rod will be moved up or down in the valve body thereby forcing the second magnet to move and therefore moving the needle to indicate amount of gas remaining in a gas tank.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an overfill protection device which can indicate the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an overfill protection device with a gauge for indicating the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank which has a very short purging time.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an overfill protection device with a gauge for indicating the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank which is simple in construction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an overfill protection device with a gauge for indicating the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank which is cheap and easy to manufacture.

The foregoing objects and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a front view of the gauge according to the present invention;

FIG. 3B is a side view of the gauge according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another longitudinal sectional view of the present invention;

FIGS. 5, 6, 6A and 7 are sectional views illustrating the working principle of the present invention;

FIG. 7A is a front view of the gauge indicating the amount of gas remaining in the gas tank;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the present invention in the filling position;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the present invention in the stop-fill position; and

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the present invention in the purging position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 8, 9 and 10, the overfill protection device with a gauge for indicating the amount of gas remaining in a gas tank according to the present invention generally comprises a first tubular member 1, a second tubular member 2, a piston 3, a first O-ring 4, a second O-ring 5, a compressed spring 6, a spindle 7, a float rod 8, a float 9, a plug 10, a control rod 80, a pressure valve having a valve body 90, and a gauge 100.

The first tubular member 1 has an upper portion 11 formed with a first axial through hole 111 and external threads 112, an intermediate portion 12 having a second axial through hole 121 with a larger diameter than the first axial through hole 111 of the upper portion 11 and two radial through holes 122, and a lower portion 13 having a third axial through hole 131 with a larger diameter than the second axial through hole 121 of the intermediate portion 12 and a lower end 133. An annular groove 132 is formed between the second and third axial through holes 121 and 131. The first tubular member 1 is formed with a radial perforation 15 which extends therethrough to communicate with the annular groove 132 so that the pressure required for the operation of the piston 3 can be reduced thus making the overfill protection device become more sensitive. According to the experiment, the preferred diameter of the radial perforation 15 is around 1 mm+0.5 mm. The two radial through holes are aligned with each other.

The piston 3 is a cylindrical member with an upper portion 31 dimensioned to fit into the first axial through hole 111 of the first tubular member 1, an intermediate portion 32 having a larger diameter than the upper portion 31 and dimensioned to fit into the second axial through 121 of the first tubular member 1, a portion 33 having a larger diameter than the intermediate portion 32 and dimensioned to fit into the third axial through hole 131 of the first tubular member 1, a first neck portion 34 between the upper and intermediate portions 31 and 32, a second neck portion 35 on lower portion 33, and a circular recess 36 at the bottom of the lower portion 33. The upper portion 31 of the piston 3 is formed with a conical through hole 311 having an upper diameter and a lower diameter which are in the ratio of three to one. The first neck portion 34 has an axial through hole 341 having the same diameter as the lower end of the conical through hole 311. An axial through hole 38 is formed in the intermediate and lower portions 32 and 33 and has an upper and lower ends communicated with the axial through hole 341 and the circular recess 36 respectively. The piston 3 is slidably disposed within the first tubular member 1.

The compressed spring 6 is arranged within the third axial through hole 131 of the lower portion 13 of the first tubular member 1 and fitted over the intermediate portion 32 of the piston 3, with its upper and lower ends respectively bearing against the annular groove 132 of the first tubular member 1 and the flange 331 of the lower portion 33 of the piston 3.

The first and second O-rings 4 and 5 are fitted in the first and second neck portions 34 and 35 of the piston 3, respectively.

The second tubular member 2 has an upper portion 21 having a cylindrical recess 211 open at the top and joined with the lower end of the first tubular member 1 by ultrasonic welding, an intermediate portion 22 having an axial through hole 221 with a smaller diameter than the third axial through hole 131 of the first tubular member 1, and a lower portion 23 having an axial through hole 231 with a smaller diameter than the axial through hole 221 of the intermediate portion 22. The lower end of the second tubular member 2 is divided by a diametrical slot 24 into two similar semi-cylindrical portions and has a radial circular hole 25 extending through the two semi-cylindrical portions.

The plug 10 is a cylindrical member having an upper portion 101 formed with a plurality of grooves 1011, a neck portion 102 under the upper portion 101 and fitted with a O-ring 1021, and a lower portion 103 having a smaller diameter than the axial through hole 231 of the second tubular member 2 and formed with conical lower end 1031. The plug 10 is arranged within the second tubular member 2 and located under the piston 3.

The float rod 8 is an elongated member having a cam plate 81 at the upper end formed with a circular hole 72. The float rod 8 is integrally formed with the cam plate 81. The cam plate 81 of the float rod 8 is fitted into the slot 24 of the second tubular member 2 and pivotally connected thereto by the spindle 7 extending through the radial circular hole 25 of the second tubular member 2 and the circular hole 72 of the float rod 8 so that the float rod 8 can be rotated with respect to the second tubular member 2. The cam plate 81 is contoured to form a lobe 85, a convex edge 84 and a concave edge 83. The lower end of the float rod 8 is fixedly secured to the interior of the float 9.

The lower end of the control rod 80 is connected to the cam plate 81 so that the control rod 80 will be moved in unison with the cam plate 81. The upper end of the control rod 80 extends upwardly into the valve body 90 of the pressure valve and provided with a permanent magnet 801. The upper portion of the first tubular member 1 is engaged with the lower end of the valve body 90. The gauge 100 is provided with two clamps 1001 and 1002 for fixing on the valve body 90. The interior of the gauges 100 is provided with a permanent magnet 1003 and a needle 1004 which is operatively connected with the permanent magnet 1003. The structure of the gauge 100 may be of any conventional design well known to those skilled in the art. The gauge 100 is mounted on the valve body 90 so that the permanent magnet 1003 of the gauge is positioned against the permanent magnet 801 of the control rod 80.

When in use (see FIGS. 5, 6, and 7), the upper end of the first tubular member 1 of the overfill protection device according to the present invention is connected to a pressure valve. The pressure valve may be of any conventional design well known to those skilled in the art and is not considered a part of the invention. As the pressure valve is turned open, gas will flow through the pressure valve and the overfill protection device into a tank. The float 9 will be positioned as shown in FIG. 8 when pressurized gas is being filled into the tank. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the lobe 85 of the cam plate 81 of the float rod 8 bears against the wall of the second tubular member 2 thereby disposing the float rod 8 at an inclined position with respect to the second tubular member 2, while the convex edge 84 of the cam plate 81 is in contact with the lower end 1031 of the plug 10 thereby preventing the plug 10 from moving downwardly to close the axial through hole 231 of the second tubular member 2 and therefore enabling the gas to flow through the first tubular member 1, the piston 3 and the second tubular member 2 into the tank. Meanwhile, the spring 6 pushes the piston 3 to move downwardly against the second tubular member 2 hence enabling the gas to flow through the first tubular member 1 and the radial through holes 122 into the tank. However, as the pressure within the tank reaches the predetermined level, the float 9 will be rotated upwardly with respect to the second tubular member 2 thereby moving the concave edge 83 of the cam plate 81 of the float rod 8 to the position right under the lower end 1031 of the plug 10 and therefore causing the plug 10 to be pushed by the gas to go downwardly (see FIG. 9) to close the axial through hole 231 of the second tubular member 2. As the gas cannot flow through the second tubular member 2, it will be forced to go upwardly thereby lifting the piston 3 until the first O-ring 4 bears against the first axial through hole 111 of the first tubular member 1 and the radial through holes 122 are closed by the intermediate portion 32 of the piston 3. Hence, no more gas is allowed to flow through the overfill protection device according to the present invention when the pressure within the tank exceeds the predetermined level. As the control rod 80 will be moved in unison with the float 9, the magnet 801 mounted at the upper end of the control rod 80 will be moved up or down in the valve body 90 thereby forcing the magnet 1003 of the gauge 100 to move and therefore moving the needle 1004 to indicate the amount of gas remaining in the gas tank (see FIGS. 6A and 7A).

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the overfill protection device in the purging position. As shown, most of the gas will directly flow out of the overfill protection device through the radial through holes 111 of the first tubular member 1. In other words, the flow rate of the gas in purging will not be limited by the small passage of the piston thus largely decreasing the time required for gas purging.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. In an overfill protection device comprising: a first tubular member having an upper portion formed with a first axial through hole, an intermediate portion having a second axial through hole with a larger diameter than said first axial through hole and at least two radial through holes, a lower portion having a third axial through hole with a larger diameter than said second axial through hole, and an annular groove formed between said second and third axial through holes; a cylindrical piston slidably fitted within said first tubular member and having an upper portion, dimensioned to fit into said first axial through hole, an intermediate portion having a larger diameter than said upper portion of said cylindrical piston and dimensioned to fit into said second axial through, a lower portion having a larger diameter than said intermediate portion of said cylindrical piston and dimensioned to fit into said third axial through hole, a first neck portion between said upper and intermediate portions of said cylindrical piston, a second neck portion on said lower portion of said cylindrical piston, and a circular recess of a bottom of said lower portion of said cylindrical piston, said upper portion of said piston being formed with a through hole, said first neck portion having an axial through hole having same diameter as a lower end of said through hole of said upper portion of said piston, an axial through hole being formed in said intermediate and lower portions of said piston and having an upper and lower ends communicated with said axial through hole of said first neck portion and said circular recess; a spring arranged within said third axial through hole of said lower portion of said first tubular member and fitted over said intermediate portion of said piston, said spring having an upper and lower ends respectively bearing against said annular groove and said lower portion of said first tubular member; a first and second O-rings fitted in said first and second neck portions of said piston respectively; a second tubular member having an upper portion having a cylindrical recess open at a top and joined to the lower end of the first tubular member by ultrasonic welding, an intermediate portion having an axial through hole with a smaller diameter than said third axial through hole with a smaller diameter than said axial through hole of said intermediate portion, said lower end of the second tubular member being divided by a diametrical slot; a plug having an upper portion formed with a neck portion fitted with a O-ring and a lower portion having a smaller diameter than said axial through hole of said second tubular member and formed with a conical lower end, said plug being arranged within said second tubular member and located under said piston; a float rod having a cam plate at an upper end thereof, said cam plate being fitted into said slot of said second tubular member and pivotally connected thereto by a spindle extending through said second tubular member and said cam plate, said cam plate being contoured to form a lobe, a convex edge and a concave edge; a float fixedly connected with a lower end of said float rod; the improvement wherein a valve body has a lower end engaged with an upper portion of said first tubular member, a control rod having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end extending upwardly into said valve body, said lower end being inserted in said cam plate, a first magnet mounted at said upper end of said control rod, and a gauge mounted on said valve body and provided with a second permanent magnet and a needle operatively connected with said second magnet, whereby when said float is moved, said control rod will be moved in unison with said float, so that said first magnet mounted at said upper end of said control rod will be moved up or down in said valve body thereby forcing said second magnet to move and therefore moving said needle to indicate amount of gas remaining in a gas tank.
 2. The overfill protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two of said radial through holes are aligned with another two of said radial through holes and two axes through the radial through holes intersect at an angle of 40-50 degrees.
 3. The overfill protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conical through hole of said piston has an upper diameter and a lower diameter which are in a ratio of three to one.
 4. The over fill protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first tubular member is formed with a radial perforation extending through said first tubular member to communicate with said annular groove. 